


Balance

by rogue5_echo3



Series: Luke's Best Friend [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Angst and Humor, Best Friends, Cute, Force-Sensitive Reader, Gen, Jedi Academy (Star Wars), Jedi Lore (Star Wars), Light Angst, Mentioned Anakin Skywalker, Mentioned Han Solo, Mentioned Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mentioned Yoda (Star Wars), Platonic Female/Male Relationships, Platonic Relationships, Post-Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Post-Star Wars: Return of the Jedi & Pre-Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Pre-Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Reader-Insert, We're talking very light
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:07:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28438122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rogue5_echo3/pseuds/rogue5_echo3
Summary: All you and Luke want to do is maintain balance in the Force and teach the younglings at the Jedi Academy to do the same. When Luke finally tells you what has been on his mind, you realize that you're about to be given the tools to do exactly that.Featuring cute padawans, a blast from (and to) the past, rare Jedi artifacts, and Force-ghost wisdom. Enjoy!
Relationships: Luke Skywalker/Original Character(s), Luke Skywalker/Original Female Character(s), Luke Skywalker/Reader, Luke Skywalker/You
Series: Luke's Best Friend [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2072259
Comments: 9
Kudos: 17





	1. A New Mission

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Updated on 12/31/2020 to correct minor error.

The sound of children laughing fills the air and warms your heart as you sit in the grass with Luke and Leia, the latter of which had graciously stayed with the children last night while you and Luke retrieved Grogu. Everyone at the Academy is taking an easy day for Grogu’s sake. Last night’s events were emotional to say the least, and this morning you and Luke had determined it best to give him time to settle in and have fun before any training began.

Since he woke up this morning, you’ve been watching the newest apprentice for any signs of distress. However, he’s adjusting well for the time being. The other younglings have taken a shine to him, and he’s done the same. Four-year-old Ben, especially, is ecstatic to have a new friend closer to his age—developmentally, at least—for the five other children at the Academy are a few years older than him.

At the moment, they’re all trying to teach Grogu a game that one of them knows from his home planet. The others are making sure not to leave Grogu out and aren’t becoming frustrated when he doesn’t understand.

You turn to look at your friends, who are both sitting to your right. “I’m so proud of how patient the older ones are being with Grogu and Ben. They’re having so much fun.”

The three of you turn to look back at them all, chuckling as they cheer on Grogu, who’s waddling as fast as he can to help his team.

Leia pipes up, “They’re great kids, you guys. You’re doing a great job with them.”

At that, Luke catches your eye with a soft, bashful smile.

His sister continues, “I’m excited to live in a world where these kids are Jedi Knights.”

Your smile grows as you look at Leia and say, “Thank you. We appreciate all your support. We love it when you and Ben visit.”

Looking back at Luke, however, you sense a sudden unease in his countenance, and your smile fades. He’s facing forward, watching the children with a faraway look in his eyes.

You reach out and give Luke’s left hand a squeeze where it’s resting on the grass. As he returns the sentiment, you gaze at Leia, who looks as bewildered and concerned as you are at this sudden change. You remember his behavior last night. Could he be thinking of what he’d hinted at talking to you about?

After a few seconds you speak up, pulling your hand back into your lap. “What’s on your mind, Luke?”

The corners of his mouth lift into a cryptic smile as he replies, “Peace.”

He looks first at you and then at Leia before facing forward once more. You lean forward to better view Leia where she sits on Luke’s right side, and you lock eyes with an identical expression that asks, “Do you know what he’s talking about?” The two of you shrug at each other, and you sit up again.

This time Leia breaks the ice. “What _about_ peace, Luke?”

Luke breathes in deeply and lets out a sigh. Keeping his eyes trained forward, he says “In the Old Republic, Jedi were peacekeepers. That was their mandate; they maintained balance.” He pauses, knotting his hands in the grass. “I’ve been thinking a lot about our father lately,” he continues, glancing quickly at Leia, who marginally stiffens, “especially with starting the Academy, training these younglings…rebuilding the Jedi Order.”

You and Leia follow his gaze toward the children, who are now playing tag. Beside you, Luke breathes out a light chuckle as Ben screams, “Ha-ha! Tag, you’re it! No tag backs!” The rest of the children yell out in a mix of terror and delight, as the new “it” youngling chases his prey with a roar.

The three of you watch them for a moment longer before Luke leans back on his hands, once again shifting his gaze between you and Leia before asking, “Have you ever heard of the prophecy of the Chosen One?”

That’s not what you’ve been expecting, but you’re not surprised to hear him speak of a prophecy. It wasn’t a secret that you and Luke have been searching for Jedi artifacts and wisdom. However, you’re surprised that he’s never brought this up before. The relic-hunting expeditions are joint efforts; you’ve seen all that he has, but you’ve never heard of the prophecy of the Chosen One.

Leia answers, “No,” first, and you’re caught up in your thoughts until you notice Luke looking at you with an expectant expression.

“No,” you confirm, glancing at Leia. Curiosity fills your mind, but Leia simply looks wary of the topic.

“I know what you’re thinking, Leia,” Luke says, his mouth now formed into a small, determined smile, “but it’s not anything dangerous, and it’s not a fool’s errand.” He’s silent for the next moment before he turns to you with a softer, although slightly guilty, look in his eyes. “Yoda appeared to me two days ago.”

He watches as you take in this new information. You’re not shocked to hear about Yoda’s visit. No, you’re well-acquainted with his ability to stop by on occasion to impart wisdom, in the form of a Force ghost. It’s his appearing only to Luke that puzzles you. Both Master Yoda and Ben always reveal themselves when you and Luke are together.

He senses your confusion and tells you, “I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you sooner. I needed time to come to terms with what he said and then Grogu needed our help and—”

You cut him off. “It’s alright, Luke. I understand.” And you do. The two of you know each other so well that you sometimes feel like the same person—echoes of each other. Therefore, you understand the desire to process something alone for a few days. Luke nods, sensing your thoughts.

You ask, “What did Yoda say?”

“Well, you know Master Yoda. He gets right to the point.”

That plants a grin on your face, while Leia just smiles and shakes her head at your inside jokes.

“He said that it’s time for you and I, (Y/N), to learn a lesson about the balance of the two sides of the Force: the Light…and the Dark. Hidden in his home on Dagobah is an artifact containing the prophecy of the Chosen One, which he wants us to retrieve. He said, ‘Holds the wisdom you and young (Y/N) need, the prophecy does.’” He pauses to let out a light chuckle and a sigh. “I’ve been mulling it over ever since, and I want to go. I want to preserve balance…to restore the Jedi Order the _right_ way.”

Luke turns to look at you, and you’re struck by how larger-than-life he seems in this moment, how every word he says sounds like it holds infinite wisdom and significance for the galaxy.

Finally, he asks, “So, what do you say to going to Dagobah?”

Before you can answer, Leia jumps in, “Slow down, Luke. You two are already doing a great job. I can’t fathom any of these kids turning to the Dark side.” She gestures to them, and their laughter once again fills the moment before she continues, in a softer tone, “I know that, when the time comes, you’ll teach Ben the right way.”

You beam at this and look at Ben—the perfect mix of Leia’s kindness and Han’s charisma…and a subtle seriousness that could’ve only come from Uncle Luke.

Uncle Luke smiles wide and reaches over to pat his sister’s hand. “I appreciate that, Leia. However, our father thought that he was doing the _right_ thing, but he became blinded by his own emotions, his own ideas.” He shakes his outstretched knee up and down a few times and looks up. “I just want to make sure I’m seeing things clearly.”

 _Oh, man_ , you think. Your best friend may seem mystical and over-complicated to others, but deep down his greatest desire was to be a good Jedi—a good _person_. You could never say no to a mission like this. And so, you project these very thoughts to Luke, who smiles and manages a breathy laugh. He looks at you and covers your shoulder with his hand, which you cover with your own and smile back at him.

The moment is interrupted by an annoyed huff from Leia. “Okay, I can see that faraway look in your eyes, which means you’re leaving me out of your brain conversation.” She looks directly at you and continues, “Sometimes I think that you’re more his twin than I am!”

You and Luke laugh at that, and even though she smiles, she still opens her arms in questioning. “Hey! Can you at least fill me in on the latest developments?”

Before you or Luke can answer her, a mutual cry from the younglings rouses your attention and shifts your focus back to them.

“Grogu ate a frog!”

It’s an exclamation of wonder more than disgust or judgement, and, sure enough, standing in the middle of the field is Grogu, frog legs disappearing into his mouth. You look at Leia and then at Luke, each of you donning an expression of bewilderment and humor at this new development. A moment passes, and then the three of you burst out into laughter.

The laughter coming from you and Luke only grows when Ben exclaims, “Wow, cool! Mom, I want to eat a frog, too!” and gets on his hands and knees to search for one.

Leia’s laughter, however, is cut short as she hurriedly gets up, whispering, “This isn’t over,” to you and Luke before making her way over to Ben, explaining, “Ben, honey, you’re a human! You can’t eat a frog whole!”

You and Luke continue laughing as you watch Leia try to reason with her son. He’s disappointed, but he perks up when Leia suggests that ice cream would be a better snack. Everyone else catches on, and the children run cheering into the temple as Leia picks up Grogu to bring him inside, too.

Luke stands up and offers you a hand off the ground. The two of you begin to walk toward the temple, toward the sound of your padawans. With a voice full of excitement and hope, you turn to him and ask, “So, when do we leave?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Luke. He’s so funny in how mysterious he can be. Writing the part where he just says, “Peace,” made me think of Return of the Jedi, where Luke tells Han as he’s about to jump into the Sarlacc pit, “Don’t worry. I’ve taken care of everything.” And Han is like, “Oh, crap. Here we go again with the Jedi stuff.” 
> 
> Also, in case anyone is wondering: Grogu's chronological age is estimated to be about 50 years, but he’s more like a 5-year-old developmentally. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	2. The Prophecy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updated on 1/5/20. I'm perpetually fixing tiny errors lol.

Dagobah. It looms before you, in its green-and-gray sheath—no different from when you first laid eyes upon it six years ago. Things beneath its atmosphere, however, are certain to be changed. Planets are a lot like people that way. From a distance, you look like the person you were before all this started, when you and Luke simply felt stuck on Tatooine. Looking back, though, to that fateful day when everything changed, nine years feels like a lifetime, and _you_ feel like a different person, with new wiring and new connections—a new circuit board altogether.

You give a minute shake of your head to somehow disperse these thoughts. _I’ve spent enough time around machines to last a lifetime_ , you think.

The efficacy of your previous analogy besides, the positive change that circumstances (like the Battle of Yavin and training on Dagobah) have breathed into you gives you hope that this journey will accomplish the same. Neither the Force nor Yoda has failed you before.

Under normal conditions, Luke would have interrupted your inner monologue with his own take—which usually agreed with you. Notwithstanding, your best friend is too occupied with his own introspection, at the moment, to comment on yours, and you try not to pry.

As the planet looms ever larger, and the green landscape takes on more definition, however, you and Luke are forced back into the real world. It’s time to prepare for landing. The U-wing you’re flying is set up for two pilots, and you and Luke work together to land the ship.

It's due to Luke’s suggestion that you two aren’t flying your X-wings right now. Neither of you want to take a chance on landing them in the swamp again. Although, there’s still a chance that you’ll have to wade through the sludge-infested waters, if the U-wing finds itself there. The area around Master Yoda’s hut is dominated by an opaque fog, so where you land is at the mercy of the Force.

Taking a U-wing has another advantage besides sparing your X-wings: extra storage space. You and Luke stocked the ship with rations, water, blankets, towels, and extra clothes. There’s no reason to expect a long stay, but you two place a high value on preparedness—especially Luke. This is one of the reasons you’re so glad to have him as a best friend—and one of the reasons you’d go anywhere with him.

Not to mention, the U-wing allows for R2 to accompany you within the ship, instead of outside. Right now, the astromech droid is releasing a string of nervous beeps.

All reminiscing exits your mind as the outline of Dagobah disappears, and you enter its thick, gray atmosphere. You and Luke do all you can, but there’s no maneuver that can guarantee a dry landing. You brace yourselves as vines and branches _thwack_ against the ship, and you search for a landmark— _anything_ —that will tell you where to steer.

It’s too late, however, for as soon as the fog clears, the sound of a great splash rips throughout the ship, and your view through the window of the cockpit is shrouded in darkness. You and Luke slowly turn toward each other, with the expressions of those resigned to their fate.

R2, not sharing your stoic sentiments, chirps out a request to stay behind in the ship. R2 spewing black slime flits across your memory, as you’re sure it’s flitting across his.

Luke turns around in his chair to face the droid. With a light chuckle, he says, “Yes, R2. You can stay.” R2 meets this acknowledgement with overjoyed beeps, to which Luke smiles and shakes his head. Despite your dread of the water, you smile too, for your natural proclivity is to delight in the small things, even when the big picture looks doomed. Luke, however, is more of a big-picture person and often has trouble staying positive. In this particular situation, though, you simply happen to be more bothered than him by the prospect of being covered in slime.

To reinforce your positivity you say, “I know one thing we can thank the Maker for.” Luke swivels back toward you. “Not bringing our X-wings. Good call.” You grin at him.

Grinning back at you and standing up, Luke responds, “Well, it’s us. It’s always good to be prepared for a mess.”

Watching as he opens the hatch above the cockpit, you chuckle and retort, “Messiness has its place in the Jedi Order.”

Luke barks out a laugh, which makes you giggle. He brings down the ladder and says, “Are we making a list now?”

You point at yourself. “Well, I am.”

He shakes his head at you, his smile not fading. “Alright, alright. Let’s get going.” Luke places his right hand on the ladder, and you rise from your seat. He smiles, rests his left hand on your shoulder, and says, “May the Force be with you, (Y/N).”

“And with you, Luke.”

The sound of his boots on the metal ladder is satisfying, calming. You take a deep breath and focus on the sound as you follow after him.

Once you’re standing on the roof, the first thing you do is examine the front of the ship, where it’s immersed in the dark water. You sigh and turn around, noting the smirk on Luke’s face where he stands at the stern. _Uh oh_ , you think, _I know that look._

You say aloud, “What’s up, Luke?”

His smirk transforms into a sincere smile, which causes you to think that he may not be teasing you after all. He gestures behind him to the ship’s stern. “Come take a look.”

You narrow your eyes, but you tread towards him, keeping your eyes fixed beyond him, where he’s gesturing. Then, you can see it, and you almost don’t believe it. The wings of the ship may be underwater, but the stern is resting upon a flat strip of land that meets the water in a gentle slope—a small beach.

You breathe out in relief and follow Luke onto dry land, where the two of you immediately set off in the direction of Yoda’s hut. Communication about where you’re going is unnecessary because you can _feel_ it; Yoda’s home calls out to you. Its presence is strong in the Force, and your movements toward it are like they always are during battle: swift, silent, and assured.

As you’re walking, the prophecy captivates your mind—where it is, what it says, and what lesson you will learn from it. At first, you had wondered why Yoda has required you to travel to Dagobah to learn a lesson about balance. In a conversation with Leia and Luke, however, you had determined that there was something about the nature of the journey that the master had not revealed to Luke. Luke, of course, was indignant at not being given all the information—the value he places on preparedness having stirred this emotion. In contrast, this prospect increased your eagerness for the trip, which Luke eventually showed, knowing that it is not Yoda’s character to waste your time.

Your reverie ends as the hut comes into view, and you’re struck by the feeling that you’re in the past. The last time you and Luke were here, neither of you could have predicted that, in a few short days, the Emperor would be dead, Luke’s father would save you, and Luke would save him. You’d felt such pride when Luke defied Yoda and Ben, stating that he would not murder his father—that there was still good in him.

Luke is walking front of you, and your eyes drift toward his right hand, where a black glove covers his durasteel limb. He refused to kill his father, even though it was at his father’s hand that he lost his own. It was amazing, something only a handful of people in history would have been able to do.

 _And you were there for it all,_ Luke reminds you, _We both felt the pain of it, and for the same reason: my father hurt me. Yet, you supported me, and you trusted me, and you, too, refused to give in…_ That _was amazing_.

The scene around you slightly blurs as a few warm tears slide down your face. You wipe them away and breathe out with a smile. _Thank you_ , is all you can manage, but you know that he can feel all that those two simple words carry—a lifetime of growing up together.

He stops in front of you and looks back with an outstretched hand. You take it, the both of you squeezing tight for a moment, and stand next to him in front of Yoda’s home. Your eyes meet, and you smile at him, knowing that your face carries the evidence of your recent emotions.

“Hey, Luke?” you venture.

“Yes?”

Your smile grows as you say, “Tears have a place in the Jedi Order.”

His smile grows too, and a chuckle exits his body in a single breath.

The world is silent for a moment, and you squeeze his hand before dropping to your knees and entering the hut one after the other. Once inside, you and Luke sit facing each other, eyes roaming around the home, mind brewing with memories. Yoda feels palpable here.

“And well I should, young (Y/L/N),” quips an all-too familiar voice from beside you, “for my home this was. Like it, I can see the two of you still do not.”

You and Luke face Grand Master Yoda, whose eyes are swimming with humor—he’s teasing.

Although you want to laugh with Luke about Yoda’s immediate resort to teasing, you simply say, “Hello, Master Yoda,” with a smile and a respectful bow of your head.

With an identical bow, Luke greets him. “Master.”

Yoda smiles and offers his official greeting: “Young ones.” However, his smile disappears when he speaks again. “First, show you the prophecy of the Chosen One I will. Then, tested you will be.”

At the confirmation of your suspicions about the nature of the visit, you and Luke lock eyes, pleased to see your determined look mirrored in the other’s.

Yoda notices and is also pleased. “Know in time what the test is, you will. For now, the prophecy.”

Yoda raises one hand. On command, the floor begins to rumble, and the sand between you and Luke creates a whirlpool, revealing a deep hole, out of which rises a blue, glowing cube with a cage of intricate, golden metalwork. Your eyes widen in surprise and excitement. It’s a holocron—it has to be.

You want to grin and squeal in delight, and even Luke looks on the verge of doing the same. The two of you have talked about finding a holocron for years, knowing that the likelihood was slim. In all your relic-hunting adventures, you have never actually expected to lay your eyes on one.

The two of you keep your eyes trained on the holocron. Out of the corner of your eye, you see Yoda’s outstretched hand twist. The blue light glows brighter as the cube unfolds, revealing multiple inner layers before uncovering a hologram of a thin, white-haired man, wearing long, flowing robes. While his appearance is not spectacular, there is something overwhelmingly mystical…something powerful…about him.

The hologram obscures Luke’s features, but your innate sense of him does not fade; you can feel his intense focus and wonder as the subject of it begins to speak, in a voice that is at once distinct and unknowable, at once harmonious and discordant. A shiver electrifies your body.

“A Chosen One shall come, born of no father, and through him will ultimate balance in the Force be restored.”

The ancient voice ceases speaking, the blue light wanes, and the hologram fades away. Master Yoda once again flicks his wrist, and the holocron retains its folded shape once more.

Luke is visible again. You lock eyes, and your bodies remain as still as your mind, which feels stuck, like you’ve crawled down into the sand to take the holocron’s place. You will your mind to race, to ponder over what you have just witnessed, but it all feels too _big_ to comprehend. As he speaks, Yoda’s voice becomes a ladder, upon which you climb back to reality.

“Skywalker, (Y/L/N), to me you must listen.”

Slowly, you peel your eyes away from Luke’s and toward the Grand Master.

“Striving for balance you two have been. Noble pursuit this is…noble, also, to pass on what you have learned.” He smiles. “To seek balance is to seek the will of the Force. However, needed above all is one thing: patience. Skywalker, always on your mind, what the future holds. (Y/L/N), always on your mind, what needs to be done. This prophecy…speaks of the destruction of the Sith it does. Believed it spoke of Anakin Skywalker, Master Kenobi and I did.”

At that, you snap your head toward Luke, who appears as incredulous as you are, with his wide eyes, his heavy breathing, and his stiff posture. An ancient prophecy about Luke’s father?

Yoda takes a brief pause and moves on. “After his fall to the dark side, lost was our belief. For a long time, out of balance the Force was, while the Emperor and his apprentice reigned. Then, restored the balance was, with Anakin Skywalker’s return to the light. When Luke Skywalker and (Y/F/N) (Y/L/N) put their trust in the Force…Young ones, in your lifetime, shaken will your trust be, for out of balance the Force will once again become. Your lesson, this is: restore balance, the Force always will. It lives within us; it surrounds us, binds us. Remember: luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. All is as the Force wills it, regardless of our actions. Use you, it can, to be agents of the light, but needed above all are patience and trust.”

Yoda pauses again to take in your reaction. “Once again, into the cave you must go. Learn an invaluable lesson you will. But this time, united you must be, if balance you wish to maintain. Always remember your experience in the cave; use you, the Force will.”

With this last word, and with a twinkle in his eye, Yoda’s Force ghost wanes until it is gone. In his place, there is an icy pull in your gut, which you know will lead you to the cave.

Your attention is caught by the sound of Luke undoing his utility belt.

He looks at you as you watch him. Setting it on the ground, he shrugs and softly says, “We won’t need our weapons.”

You smile, nod, and follow his example, laying your utility belt in front of you. As you do, you notice that the holocron remains on the floor between you and Luke. You pick it up and give it a few turns to examine it, before passing it to Luke. There’ll be time to express your excitement later—the cave awaits.

Yes, that dark, cool place where the two of you confronted your anger and were horrified by the results.

“Hey,” Luke firmly states, “It’ll be different this time. _We’re_ different this time.”

With a small smile, you nod and leave the hut, following the icy chill with your best friend.

Once you arrive, Luke places his hand on your shoulder for the second time today. His familiar, determined expression calms you and assures you as he says, “May the Force be with you, (Y/N).”

Your shoulders rise and fall as you take a deep breath.

“And with you, Luke.”

You pause, remembering something Yoda said, something that feels too vital to not speak aloud before your journey begins.

“The Force will always restore balance.”

Your best friend smiles at you and gives your shoulder a soft squeeze. “The Force will always restore balance.”

Then, for the first time in six years, you turn toward that dark chill and take your first step.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We’re pretending like U-wings have a circular hatch on top, although I’m not at all sure if that’s true. 
> 
> Some of Yoda’s dialogue comes from Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. I don’t own Star Wars in any capacity. I don’t own any characters in this story except for the Reader, and I’m not receiving any financial compensation for this story. It’s purely for fun!
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	3. The Cave

After that initial step, every movement forward feels like another first step, like a journey from beginning to end within itself, as you walk deeper into the cave. It’s another metaphor for life, which you seem to be full of today. Life is a journey, punctuated by smaller journeys—lessons learned. Last time, your experience in the cave taught you to not act on your anger or your hate and to not act with haste. Really, it taught you how not to use your abilities…You hope that this experience will instead guide you to use them the right way.

You reach with your right hand for Luke’s left and find that you’ve met him halfway. He looks at you, and you sense him wondering the same thing you are: Will we see what we saw last time? For you and Luke saw the same thing, did the same thing—him with his father’s lightsaber and you with Obi-Wan’s. You struck down the infamous Darth Vader (with momentary relief) and found that you had killed the person you loved most in the world, the only family you had left. It was traumatic and disheartening for both of you. Yet, you did not learn your lesson.

Yoda’s voice penetrates your mind: “Remember your failure at the cave!” He tried to get you and Luke to stay, to not fight for your friends’ lives, but you walked into a trap anyway, and Luke lost his right hand. Will you be able to learn this new lesson?

Side-by-side, you and Luke continue to walk in silence and assurance but with a slower pace than in battle. You’re ready to confront this…whatever it is.

Soon, you don’t have to wonder anymore, as a sound you know all too well—deep, labored, mechanical breathing—suddenly echoes around you and is accompanied by the matching voice, saying, “Good. Well done, my young apprentices.”

Your grip on Luke’s hand tightens as the two of you continue to walk—even slower than before—toward where you hear Luke’s father, whom you found long ago to be impossible to refer to as Darth Vader—and not just for Luke’s sake, but because that’s not how you’ve seen him since (ironically) the events in Cloud City.

The two of you stop when you see him, unmistakable in his shiny, fearsome helmet and mask, resembling the face underneath but not quite; his floor-length armorweave cape, which curls around his body as he turns to look at you; and his red lightsaber, now ignited. You feel an instinctual pull to reach for your own, even moving for a moment to remove your hand from Luke’s to grasp it, but Luke’s intensified grip—how it could be any tighter, you don’t know—reminds you: patience. Returning the gesture, you reply, Patience, your momentary lapse in awareness having passed.

You focus on the image in front of you, which you’ve seen many times before, but something is different. There are two figures standing behind the Sith lord, with their backs turned toward you. There’s something uncanny about their appearance, something so recognizable yet utterly disparate. Who are they?

“Ah,” Luke’s father says, gesturing to either side of him, “You’ve noticed my companions. I’m eager to introduce you to them, and they’re eager to meet you.” He looks down, now speaking to the figures. “Turn, young apprentices, and greet our guests.”

The two figures turn around, and their master places his hands on their shoulders to bring them in front of him. At first, their faces are shrouded in the darkness of the cave, but the red glow from their newly ignited lightsabers paints them in clear view before you.

You recognize the pair—a girl and boy, about 14 years old, with the faces, the hair, and the bodies of you and Luke at that same age. It is you, except for the stone-like nature of their skin and their yellow eyes that glow like their lightsabers. They sneer at you but do not speak. Your hand throbs with pain as you and Luke hold on to each other even tighter.

Anakin’s hands are pressed into your—you shudder to think—shoulders as he speaks again. “Take it in. With me, my son and young (Y/N) will reach their full potential. They’ll become more powerful than you can ever dream of becoming without me. You don’t know the power of the dark side of the Force…but you will feel it as my apprentices, who do my bidding, snuff you out.”

The three apparitions step forward in unison, and you feel as if you may choke on your sudden gasp. Luke’s father—although you know he’s not real—has never appeared more threatening, more sinister, to you than right now, even more than when you were in his presence and could feel his anger. Your hand screams at you; your muscles are exhausted, and your bones are aching with the pressure—but there’s no way you’re letting go.

Then, you remember, with vibrant clarity, Luke’s admonition of the emperor, on the second Death Star: “Your overconfidence is your weakness.” His overconfidence was in his ability to foresee the future, to control every outcome, every variable—but he was proved wrong by a farm boy who maintained faith in the Force and in his friends. You project this to Luke, adding, Palpatine was too focused on controlling the moving pieces…We need to surrender to the will of the Force. We just need to wait.

At your words, Luke inches closer to you, and the apparitions, whose lightsabers now stand ready for attack, do the same. Luke tells you, Patience, and the two of you repeat it over and over again, like a mantra, like a lifeline, as the three Siths come ever closer, and suddenly you’re also saying, Trust, and the two words are getting closer and closer until they blend together in a way you know you’ll always remember but will never be able to duplicate with your mouth. And as the words blur together, so do you and Luke, until it feels like you’re one person.

They’re standing directly in front of you now, your Sith self leaning over Luke, and Sith Luke leaning over you, yellow eyes boring into yours. You want to look away, but you know that you’ll regret it if you do. So, instead, you fix on your face a look of steely determination, knowing that this is not your best friend—it never could be.

Just when it feels like your lungs will explode—like your breath has run away, and there’s no chance of catching up—the apparitions shatter into a million pieces, and those pieces float to the ground like feathers.

You and Luke are left alone, breathless and panting…and all you can think about is how you used to feel exactly like this after your runs with Yoda, except your muscles—save those of your right hand—aren’t tired, like they were back then.

You release your grip on Luke and peer at your red hand, wincing as you curl and uncurl your fingers. Nothing is broken, at least.

Luke is watching you, and you watch him stretch out his own hand for a moment before looking into his eyes—his blue eyes. The two of you grin after a short moment. You reach up to put your arms over his shoulders as his go around your waist in a hug. He picks you up for a moment with an exhale, and then he sets you down and lets you go.

You take a deep breath in…and then out. You’re not sure what to say, and you’re usually not speechless. The cold, however, still resides in your bones—your first priority is leaving this place. Still not quite able to form words, you nod your head toward the cave’s entrance. Luke nods at you, and the two of you make your way back toward Yoda’s hut to retrieve your lightsabers—and the holocron.

If not for that deep, dark chill surrounding you, you would be able to feel your excitement over the relic. Once you’re past the entrance to the cave, you feel your blood begin to move again, in a rush of adrenaline, thinking about what awaits you. You grin at Luke, sensing the same emotion in him. Then, a flicker of a challenge graces his eyes, reminding you of all your womp-rat-shooting contests back on Tatooine. You nod, then break out into a run. Luke somersaults over a log, and you can’t help the laugh that barely manages to escape your breathless lungs. This form of breathlessness—the kind caused by physical exertion—is a welcome relief from that caused by the suffocating darkness.

It’s a short run to the hut, and neither of you care to declare yourselves the winner as you crawl inside. The holocron sits where you left it, and the two of you stare at it in awe.

Luke is the first to speak. “Let’s wait to open it again. I want to learn more, but I’d really just like to go back to the Academy…see the padawans.”

Their smiles and giggles upon your return from previous missions fill your mind, and you smile at Luke. “Agreed. Anyway, we’re here because we want to do what’s best for them.”

He smiles back at you and grasps your hand, giving it a momentary squeeze.

You sigh, take one last look around, and make your way back to the ship, using the Force to set it on firm ground before leaving Dagobah for what you know will be the last time. It’s strange. It’s not the place that you’re attached to—not like you’re attached to the Jedi Academy, which has become your true home. No, it’s like Tatooine, in that way.

You will forever be grateful for Tatooine, for it brought you to Luke; it brought you to Ben Kenobi; and, by extension, it brought you to this amazing life you now lead. You don’t miss Tatooine itself. You miss your parents; you miss Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru. So, no…you won’t miss Dagobah. You miss Yoda, but he has shown that he has no qualms about turning up to guide you again and again. It doesn’t always feel good—and neither you nor Luke always like it or even appreciate it—but it has always served you well.

Far away from Dagobah now, the ship surrounded by the blue streaks of hyperspace, Luke manages a “Hm” in agreement to your thoughts, where he is slumped over the controls. He turns his head, so you can see his left eye from where it peeks out from his arms, which are cradling his head. “Something is coming,” he whispers, in reference to Yoda’s words from earlier that day.

“Hm,” you echo as you furrow your brows. You know Luke, and you know his tendencies to be self-blaming and to depreciate himself, so you choose your next words carefully. “But what’s coming—and when it’s coming—we don’t know,” you say, your voice becoming more hushed with every syllable. “Yoda said that we can’t prevent it…We can’t blame ourselves when it does happen.”

“Hm,” he breathes again and closes his eyes. He doesn’t want to resign himself to a future in which bad things occur—you can sense it. Luke feels that he has had enough strife (a sentiment you agree with), and he’s looking for ways to avoid it.

You sigh, and his eye twitches. He knows what you’re thinking, but he doesn’t have to agree with you right now. The two of you are usually so good at seeing reason, at adhering to stoicism, even if it takes you a while to get there. You have a feeling, though, that this time it may not prove to be that simple.

Your hope in the future, however, is restored—as you knew it would be—once you return to the temple and see the smiling and excited faces of all your padawans and, of course, Leia, your de facto sister. You give her a big hug, holding on for a few moments longer than usual. When you pull back, her face has changed from overjoyed to curious and concerned. You tuck a strand of hair behind your ear and smile at her, letting her know that later you will tell her about it all.

Luke pulls her into a hug, then, and you scoop little Ben into your arms to ask him about his day. You catch Luke’s eye and give him a soft smile. Things will not always feel as perfect as this, but if you stick together and trust in the Force, you believe that balance will once again be restored.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How (Y/N) got Obi-Wan’s lightsaber may (or may not) be included in these stories, but there is a reason—I promise. It’s not just an oversight lol. 
> 
> That’s all for this part of their story, but there’s definitely more to come for these two Jedi!
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
